The King of Righteousness^(A)

7 For this ^(B)Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” ³ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

⁴ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the ^[a]spoils. ⁵ And indeed ^(C)those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; ⁶ but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham ^(D)and blessed ^(E)him who had the promises. ⁷ Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. ⁸ Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, ^(F)of whom it is witnessed that he lives. ⁹ Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Need for a New Priesthood^(G)

^11 (H)Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. ¹³ For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has ^[b]officiated at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is evident that ^(I)our Lord arose from ^(J)Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning ^[c]priesthood. ¹⁵ And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest ¹⁶ who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For ^[d]He testifies:

¹⁸ For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of ^(L)its weakness and unprofitableness, ¹⁹ for ^(M)the law made nothing ^[e]perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of ^(N)a better hope, through which ^(O)we draw near to God.

Greatness of the New Priest

²⁰ And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath ²¹ (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him:

²² by so much more Jesus has become a ^[g]surety of a ^(Q)better covenant.

²³ Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. ²⁴ But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also ^(R)able to save ^[h]to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives ^(S)to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For such a High Priest was fitting for us, ^(T)who is holy, ^[i]harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, ^(U)and has become higher than the heavens; ²⁷ who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His ^(V)own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

²³ Therefore it was necessary that ^(A)the copies of the things in the heavens should be ^[a]purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For ^(B)Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are ^[b]copies of ^(C)the true, but into heaven itself, now ^(D)to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵ not that He should offer Himself often, as ^(E)the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— ²⁶ He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ^27 (F)And as it is appointed for men to die once, ^(G)but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so ^(H)Christ was ^(I)offered once to bear the sins ^(J)of many. To those who ^(K)eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

10 For the law, having a ^(L)shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, ^(M)can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ² For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once ^[c]purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³ But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For ^(N)it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will^(O)

⁵ Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

⁸ Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹ then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, ^[d]O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ^10 (Q)By that will we have been ^[e]sanctified ^(R)through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

¹¹ And every priest stands ^(S)ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ^12 (T)But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down ^(U)at the right hand of God, ¹³ from that time waiting ^(V)till His enemies are made His footstool. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being ^[f]sanctified.

¹⁵ But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

^16 (W)“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” ¹⁷ then He adds, ^(X)“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ¹⁸ Now where there is ^[g]remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.